CARRIE times two

CARRIE - MGM/Screen gems
Directed by Kimberly Peirce
Screenplay by Lawrence D.Cohen, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Judy Greer

CARRIE. The Musical - Squabbolgic Independent Music Theatre
Directed by Jay James-Moody
Book by Lawrence D.Cohen, Music by Michael Gore with Lyrics by Dean Pitchford.
Starring Hilary Cole, Margi de Ferranti, Adele Parkinson, Bridget Keating, Rob Johnson, Andy Johnston

Stephen King's popular book has seen several incarnations whether it be on film, television or on the stage.  This week I saw both the 2013 film remake, and the musical.  With schoolyard bullying regularly being a hot topic amongst parents and the media, the story of an ostracised teenage girl with telekinetic powers is more timely than ever.  Though horrific events occur at times, I have never seen CARRIE to be a horror story, to me it is more a tragedy of what comes when one is pushed to their limits, hits their brink and exacts revenge.

Chloe Grace Moretz and Julieanne Moore turn in some good performances 

The film, directed by Peirce brings the story straight into the present; an initial bullying incident is filmed on one of the perpetrators mobile phones and uploaded online.  The performances from Moore (Carrie's fantastically religious mother, Margaret White) and Moretz (Carrie) are good but I found that the movie races ahead so quickly that important dialogue is either rushed or is quite difficult to hear.  For me, Alex Russell as the villainous Billy Nolan was the film's real surprise.  Russell captures the primal brutality of the character perfectly.

       Alex Russell exudes sex appeal as the brutish Billy Nolan

By the time the film climaxes, our antihero is certainly out for blood and in this version, gets it in abundance.   Whilst I did not really enjoy seeing the 'CGI flying Carrie', I must confess that I did think that this climax delivers.   With US school shootings being far more regular than they should be, it is food for thought that Carrie more or less does the same thing, however her weapon of choice happens to be her mind.

In the 2013 remake, this Carrie means business

Ultimately, there is not enough build up or development of character and one senses that this is not the film that Peirce would have put up on the screen had she not been at the mercy of the studio.  Still, it definitely has it's moments and brings something new to the story.  Definitely worth a visit.

Newcomer to Sydney theatre scene Hilary Coles shines in the title role

When it originally appeared on Broadway in the late 80s CARRIE.The Musical earned it's reputation as the biggest flop ever, and lasted only 4 performances.  It gained a cult following of sorts with enthusiasts hoping for a revival; which eventuated in a revised version Off Broadway in 2012.

Whilst I myself am a big fan of the camp 1980s flop, to me, the story of Carrie does not exactly 'sing'. Squabbologic however, offers a solid production that makes the most of the musical's shortcomings.  The high camp moments of it's 80s predecessor are all but gone.  It uses flashback device to tell the tale and due to some inspired direction by Jay James-Moody the audience is frequently taken from the present back to the story with ease.

There are some outstanding performances by Hilary Cole in the title role, and Margi de Ferranti as the troubled teenager's mother Margaret.  Their powerful voices bringing chills at times to this reviewer.  Adele Parkinson as good girl Sue Snell is perfectly cast and shows great range.  Rob Johnson as her boyfriend Tommy Ross has a voice one could listen to for hours.  Bridget Keating as gym teacher Lynn Gardner, and Andy Johnston as George offer great support.

de Ferranti and Cole's 'And Eve was Weak' is a highlight 

What surprised me most was the excellent stagecraft on display here by Scenic Designer Sean Minahan and Lighting Designer Mikey Rice.  Not knowing what to expect, I found the instances where Carrie exercised her telekinetic powers to be simple, yet exceptional.  To go into any detail would be to spoil the surprise.  It is obviously not easy in a production with a modest budget to convey the destruction of a school gym, but this production does so perfectly.

Some stunning stagecraft on display by designers Sean Minahan and Mikey Rice

To discuss why would be to ruin it, but don't leave the theatre in too much of a hurry at the end of the performance.

An Evening with Megan Mullally - Feb 22nd

The moment Megan Mullally stepped foot on Sydney Wharf Theatre's stage last night she appeared to have her audience on side.  She was met with a rapturous lengthy applause and genuinely looked excited and humbled. 'I'm moving here!!' she remarked once or twice throughout the show. Joined by Seth Rudetsky on piano, she opened with Sondheim's 'Broadway Baby' from the musical 'Follies'.  This again resulted with thunderous applause and the general feeling was that no matter what she did - this audience was going to adore her - and deservedly so.

The tone of the evening was set early on and consisted of some Broadway songs (notably three from Sondheim's 'Follies'), and a couple of blues/middle of the road numbers.  In between the songs Rudetsky and Mullally reclined in armchairs and chatted.  Having been friends for years (they met whilst working on 1995's 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying') the conversation flowed easily and gave opportunity for Mullally to shine whilst re telling stories from her career.  Whist it was informal is style, it was also structured and felt tight overall.  As a fan, I felt they covered pretty much everything; her early attempts at ballet, her roles on Broadway (featuring a great story or two about Rosie O'Donnell during the 'Grease' run), her marriage to Park and Recreation's Nick Offerman, and of course her successful role as Karen Walker in Will & Grace.

Invited guests Stephanie Hunt (the other half of her musical duo Nancy and Beth) and Broadway singer Paul Castree sang during a couple of songs and provided some nice moments.

       
                                                   With musician Stephanie Hunt
                 
As one of the few who actually enjoys 'Young Frankenstein', I felt it was a shame she never included any of these songs in her set. A very slight niggle however, and her story about Elaine Stritch on opening night more than sated my appetite.

The set concluded with a song from 'Karen: The Musical'.  This musical will likely not ever see the light of day due to some legal issues over release of the character but it was fabulous to see her so easily slip back into the role which made her world famous.

Mullally graciously performed an encore of two songs, which included included 'Long John Blues' - another personal highlight for me.

A night I will remember for a long time!

Film Review: Les Miserables

Les Miserables, Universal Pictures
Directed by Tom Hooper
Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks

Being a huge fan of the musical 'Les Miserables' since the late eighties, I approached the cinematic version with trepidation.  I knew that it would probably not live up to the original production as directed by Trevor Nunn so I tried to view it as a separate work (this meant for example erasing from memory things such as that the character of Javert should have a strong singing voice and not slide over most big notes).

The film is visually stunning at times and the opening first ten minutes shows great promise.  Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean gets the audience on side almost immediately and initially you sense an Oscar win could be in sight.   Jackman is in fine voice throughout the entire tim, though I think his performance wanes at times due to misguided direction.  'Bring Him Home' has him walking around aimlessly quite a bit.  Considering this song is predominantly a prayer, it would have worked better had he just sat there and sung it (similarly to Hathaway's 'I Dreamed A Dream' sequence).

A moment when he first approaches the young Cosette in the wood had the audience at my screening break out in laughter (not the film's intention), and the addition of original song 'Suddenly' which soon follows, seems unnecessary for any reason other than trying to make a grab for a Best Original Song Oscar nod.  On the flip side his work in the final scene of the film is heartbreakingly beautiful.  Overall a fine performance.

Anne Hathaway is enjoyable as Fantine, though I very much felt like I was watching an actor giving a 'performance' rather than her being the character.

Eddie Redmayne (impressive in My Week With Marilyn) gives the standout performance for me.  He is perfect as Marius and has just the right mix of spoken word and strong singing vocals.  Whenever he, (and Aaron Tveit as Enjorlras) sang I could not help but wonder at just how brilliant this film could have been had other key actors been able to match their performances vocally.

Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are suited well to the Thenardiers and bring the required comic relief.  Samantha Barks gives a fine performance as Eponine (though unfortunately she is not allowed to shine as much as she should do in 'On My Own', which is the character's pivotal moment, as the entire lead in to this song has been cut, thus not allowing her to build the song as it requires).

As expected, many cuts have been made in order to abridge the musical.  Some choices advance the film, whilst others make the film feel rushed and to a Les Mis novice might be confusing.   Some lyrics have been changed and this is puzzling as in many cases the original lyrics seem to serve the story much better.

Much has been made of the fact that all the singing was done live on set with minimal enhancement.  This makes it feel more realistic but sometimes is also at it's detriment as actor's take longer breaths and pauses than needed which drag some songs out longer than necessary.  Occasionally I wished for a fuller orchestration and some studio enhancement on some of the bigger notes.

I enjoyed the design of the film, but sometimes think that less is more and if I saw one face riddled with the plague I must have seen a thousand of them.  I am also not quite sure about the 'Lovely Ladies' sequence as I expected the gang of whores to break out into Michael Jackson's Thriller at any point such was their over made up look.

All of that said, when it works, Tom Hooper's  'Les Miserables' is exciting and breathtaking and at times brilliantly executed.  It also had me a blubbering mess in the final ten minutes so it has obviously done something right.

7/10

OMIGOD - for a feel good musical this one qualifies

It has been some time since I have seen an audience in Sydney as excited and enthusiasitc as I witnessed at a recent preview performance of 'Legally Blonde - The Musical'.  There is a buzz in Sydney's Lyric Theatre before the brightly lit curtain even rises, but it it towards the end of Act Two that momentum has built and the audience often responds with wolf whistles, cheers and laughter.  Lots of laughter.  Finally a musical that should be a winner for Sydney audiences.

'Legally Blonde - the Musical' follows sorority girl Elle Woods (Lucy Durack) as she attends Harvard Law School for the sole purpose of winning back the love of her former boyfriend, Warner (Rob Mills).

This musical sticks to the story of the 2001 film on which it is largely based, almost to the letter.  What differentiates it is the music and the high energy dance routines.  It is packed to the brim with catchy hummable pop tunes (often with very witty lyrics), all performed with gusto by a solid cast.

When the film became a hit in 2001 many critics attributed much of the film’s appeal to its star Reese Witherspoon.

Subsequently when the musical opened on Broadway in April 2007, several critics felt, perhaps unjustly, that lead star Laura Bell Bundy fell short in the charm stakes  and that the musical suffered without Witherspoon at the helm.

Luckily for Sydney audiences, we are in the safe hands of Lucy Durack.  Durack is the perfect Elle Woods.  Hardly offstage for a moment, her Elle is hugely likeable, energetic, and sweet without being over the top saccharine.  Durack captures everything that Witherspoon brought to the role without attempting a carbon copy.  Her voice is stronger than ever and her versatility is evident when she can belt out Act One closer 'So Much Better' and then follow it up with the more poingant and subtle 'Legally Blonde' in Act Two.  As always, her voice is wonderfully complimented by her impeccable comedic delivery.

She is surrounded by a great company to support her.  Producer John Frost has assembled an almost perfect cast to join Elle during her Delta Nu and Harvard college years.  David Harris is charming as study coach and eventual love interest Emmett. It is a joy to listen to his tenor voice, especially in ‘Chip On My Shoulder’.   Rob Mills offers a nice contrast in his portrayal of Warner, and likewise, his number ‘Serious’ in which he breaks up with Elle, showcases a strong musical theatre voice whilst allowing Durack ample opportunity to show off her finely tuned comedic chops.

Equally as crowd pleasing is Helen Dallimore as Salon owner Paulette.  Her ‘Ireland’ in which she yearns for an Irish boyfriend brings many laughs and allows Dallimore’s strong voice to soar.  

Erika Heynatz is a wonderful surprise as fitness guru Brooke Wyndham and her Act Two opening number ‘Whipped Into Shape’ hits the spot and advances the plot just after interval.

Ali Calder is dynamite in her role of Woods’ Harvard nemesis, Vivienne.  At age 21 Calder displays a voice beyond her years and her solo work in ‘Legally Blonde (Remix)’ and the finale, is scene stealing.

 

Ashlea Pyke, Chloe Zuel and Renee Burleigh are delightful as Elle's personal Greek Chorus and some of the show's most lively numbers are the songs they share with Durack ('Omigod You Guys' and 'What You Want' being two great examples).  As with Durack, they also show great comic timing.

 In a cast full of wonderful support work special mention must also be made of Euan Doidge and Andrew Ronay-Jenkings who bring the house down with their cameo roles as Nikos and Carlos in the Act Two showstopper,'There! Right There!'.  I also especially enjoyed Ash Bee who does great work with her small but crucial role of Chutney in the final court room climax.

For those seeking a little depth in their musicals there is an underlying message of being the best that you can be, but ultimately this is a fun romantic comedy and shouldn't be taken too seriously.  If you are looking for a night out at the theatre where you can check your cynicism at the door and simply be entertained by a superb cast, then head down to 'Legally Blonde - The Musical'.

Oh yeah....  and the dogs are cute too.

Book at ticketmaster.com.au

At a glance

I rave about:  The high energy of the cast headlined by Lucy Durack

Hot tip:  Grab a group of friends and make a night of it - it is that kind of show 

See it if you liked:  WICKED,  Hairspray and Legally Blonde (the film)   

My score: 9/10 

stagedoorjohnnyoz heads to the big apple

Rather than write reviews for each of the shows I saw in New York on my recent trip I have decided to write a two part overview of the shows I attended.

 This year’s season initially offered little that personally appealed to me but as the trip drew closer I was spoilt for choice and it became a case of weighing up the must sees.

Top of the list for me was Sister Act (Book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner, with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beene; Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater).  Based on the 1990 film of the same title it tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier (Patina Miller) who takes refuge in a run down convent whilst on the run from a bunch of largely incompetent gangsters.  Fans of the film (including myself when I first heard the London recording) were disappointed that none of the songs used in the film make it to this stage version. However, Menken and Slater have filled the musical with so many well serving catchy songs that the film songs would now feel out of place amongst them. 

Oozing charisma, Miller delivers a star turn as Deloris.  She embodies the sassy spirit of Whoopi Goldberg’s celluloid performance but never once imitates it.  Possessing both a strong belt and a good sense of comic timing, it is easy to see why she was a strong contender for the Best Leading Actress in a Musical Tony. Favourite numbers that she leads for me were 'Fabulous Baby', 'Raise Your Voice' and 'Take Me to Heaven'.

Equally impressive is Clarke as Mother Superior. Tough and stoic when delivering her spoken lines, her expressive voice was a delight to listen to during 'Here Within These Walls' and 'Haven't Got a Prayer'.
There is some great support by the ensemble of singing nuns and some nice performances from the gangster mob (Demond Green is particularly engaging as TJ).

Sister Act offers nothing groundbreaking but for sheer light hearted joyous entertainment value it was the most enjoyable of the shows that I caught. 9/10

                                         Victoria Clarke was very chatty at stage door and
                                         was interested in talking about Australia

It was a long wait on a very hot summer evening

to meet Patina Miller but worth it

In a similar vein for bang for your joyous entertainment buck is my second favourite ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical’ (Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott). Whist I enjoyed the original Sydney production in 2006 I was not overly fond of it.  I was looking forward to seeing this production on the Great White Way, both out of patriotism and to see how much it had developed over the years.  I was delighted to see that the changes have served it well and thoroughly enjoyed it this time around. 
Offering a good mix of camp fun, it manages to bring home a message of tolerance (albeit subtly) whilst entertaining with big production high energy fuelled numbers.  With over one thousand performances under his belt, Tony Sheldon continues to give a wonderful performance as transsexual Bernadette. It is easy to forget that you are watching a man in the role during the performance; Sheldon manages to be maternal and warm whilst maintaining an acidic tongue when needed. On many occasions he had the audience screaming with laughter.  Sheldon keeps them onside no matter how outrageous the line he is delivering. Wil Swenson as Tick (the role made famous by Hugo Weaving in the film) also gives a believable and tender performace.  His 'Say a Little Prayer' at the beginning of Act One and 'Always on my Mind' towards the conclusion of the show are particularly touching. 
The Tony award winning costume designs by Tim Chappel and Lizzie Gardiner are as effective as they were in the original Sydney production (and in some cases the film) and it was fun to see a US audience thrilled by the famous Australian icons that inspired various costumes.
I did not mind that the Kylie Minogue songs were replaced by those from Madonna in order to serve a US audience.  Madonna was (and still is) hugely popular in this country so it makes sense that a Sydney drag queen would obsessed with her.
The audience at the performance I attended was incredibly enthusiastic and by the time the curtain came down it felt like it was the end of a party. 8.5/10

                                          

                                              It is a shame the poster does not really

                                             give a good indication of the what the show

                                             is about

                                         Now that's more like it. Tony Sheldon pictured here
                                         in turban

Third on the list was 'The Book of Mormon', (Book, Music and Lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone).   I still rank this musical as my third choice despite not quite understanding why this has been so well received (along with 14 Tony nominations). The music is well written with catchy melodies which, profane lyrics aside, would not be out of place in many other American Broadway musical comedies.  Whilst it is amusing, in a shocking kind of way,  to hear the 'c' bomb dropped many times in a musical, it gets old fairly quickly and just becomes boring the 7th or 8th time you hear it. 

There are some hysterically funny lines of dialogue, and some moments when you can see brilliance at work, but then there are other times where I started to look at my watch to see how much longer before I could leave the theatre.
Andrew Rannells as Elder Price was perfect and gives a strong performance from beginning to end. From optimistic and bright eyed in the opening, to slightly bitter and questioning by show's end he retains true to character at all times.  His lead vocal in 'You and Me (But Mostly Me)' and solo 'I Believe' show off his versatility and one cannot help but be drawn into his journey.
Josh Gad as his downtrodden missionary companion Elder Cunningham took longer to grow on me. I felt that a lot of his performance went too far and at times was overacted. When he wasn't pushing it as far as he could, he turns in some lovely work ('I Am Here For You').
This show really sings in the ensemble numbers, especially when sung largely by the African villagers. 'Hasa Diga Eebowai' is a great example of this. Music, lyrics and vocals all marry perfectly. Another great moment is when Rory O'Malley leads the bright 'Turn It Off'.  O'Malley has the character of seemingly closeted Elder McKinley honed to perfection.
It will be interesting to see what life the show has.  I could not see this translating well to an Australian audience without several script changes, despite the catchy tunes.
Overall enjoyable enough, but I fail to appreciate all the hype. 7.5/10

Stay tuned for Part Two.